Chapter 16

¹ So they brought in the ark of God, and

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set it in the midst of the tabernacle which David pitched for it; and they ¹offered whole-burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before God. ² And David finished offering up whole-burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, and blessed the people in the name of the Lord. ³ And he divided to every man of Israel (both men and women), to every man one baker's loaf, and a cake. ⁴ And he appointed before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, Levites to minister and lift up the voice, and to give thanks and praise the Lord God of Israel: ⁵ Asaph was the chief, and next to him Zacharias, Jeiel, Semiramoth, and Jeiel, Mattathias, Eliab, and Banæas, and Abdedom: and Jeiel sounding with musical instruments, lutes and harps, and Asaph with cymbals: ⁶ and Banæas and Oziel the priests sounding continually with trumpets before the ark of the covenant of God in that day.

⁷ Then David first gave orders to praise the Lord by the hand of Asaph and his brethren.

⁸ Song. Give thanks to the Lord, call upon him by his name, make known his designs among the people. ⁹ Sing songs to him, and sing hymns to him, relate to all people his wonderful deeds, which the Lord has wrought. ¹⁰ Praise his holy name, ²the heart that seeks his pleasure shall rejoice. ¹¹ Seek the Lord and be strong, seek his face continually. ¹² Remember his wonderful works which he has wrought, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; ¹³ ye seed of Israel his servants, ye seed of Jacob his chosen ones. ¹⁴ He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth. ¹⁵ Let us remember his covenant for ever, his word which he commanded to a thousand generations, ¹⁶ which he covenanted with Abraham, and his oath sworn to Isaac. ¹⁷ He confirmed it to Jacob for an ordinance, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, ¹⁸ saying, To thee will I give the land of Chanaan, the line of your inheritance: ¹⁹ when they were few in number, when they were but little, and dwelt as strangers in it; ²⁰ and went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people. ²¹ He suffered not a man to oppress them, and he reproved kings for their sakes, ²² saying, Touch not my anointed ones, and deal not wrongfully with my prophets.

²³ Sing ye to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation from day to day. ²⁴ Declare among the nations his glory, his wondrous deeds among all peoples. ²⁵ For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. ²⁶ For all the gods of the nations are idols; but our God made the heavens. ²⁷ Glory and praise are in his presence; strength and rejoicing are in his place. ²⁸ Give to the Lord, ye families of the nations, give to the Lord glory and strength. ²⁹ Give to the Lord the glory belonging to his name: take gifts and offer them before him; and worship the Lord in his holy courts. ³⁰ Let the whole earth fear before him; let the earth be established, and not be moved. ³¹ Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth exult; and let them

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say among the nations, The Lord ³reigns. ³² The sea with its fullness shall resound and the tree of the field, and all things in it. ³³ Then shall the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord, for he is come to judge the earth. ^{34 4}Give thanks to the Lord, for it is good, for his mercy is for ever. ³⁵ And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us, and rescue us from among the heathen, that we may praise thy holy name, and glory in thy praises. ³⁶ Blessed be the Lord God of Israel ⁵from everlasting and to everlasting:

And all the people shall say, Amen. So they praised the Lord.

³⁷ And they left there Asaph and his brethren before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to minister before the ark continually, according to the service of each day: from day to day. ³⁸ And Abdedom and his brethren were sixty and eight; and Abdedom the son of Idithun, and Osa, were to be ⁶door-keepers. ³⁹ And they appointed Sadoc the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place in Gabaon, ⁴⁰ to offer up whole-burnt-offerings continually morning and evening, and according to all things written in the law of the Lord, which he commanded the children of Israel ⁷by Moses the servant of God. ⁴¹ And with him were Æman and Idithun, and the rest chosen out by name to praise the Lord, for his mercy endures for ever. ⁴² And with them there were trumpets and cymbals to sound aloud, and musical instruments ⁸for the songs of God: and the sons of Idithun were at the gate.

⁴³ And all the people went every one to his home: and David returned to bless his house.